Mechanical piano-player.



PATENTED JAN. 30, 1906.

Inventm James OCoruwr By 7% Jay J. OGONNOR.'

MECHANICAL PIANO PLAYER.

APPLICATION FILED FEB. 17, 1904.

L NR

Wztnesss JAMES OCONNOR, OF NEW YORK, N. Y

MECHANICAL PIANO-PLAYER Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Jan. 30, 190

A li tion and February 17, 1904. Serial No. l93,948.

To aw whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, J AMES OCoNNoR, a citizen of the Unit: 1 States, and a resident of New York, in the county of New York and depress the keysv as. required by the music. i

In this inventionthe tone-modulating etlect is obtained b varying the am litude of movement of these key-fingers, an the mechanism is preferably arranged to operate independently upon predetermined roups or sections of the fingers, so that-di' erentv modulating effects may be produced coincidently upon the respective sections or-ranges of the piano-notes.

The embodiment of this invention shown and described herein shows therange divided into two sections, one'oomprisin the treble or upper register of the iano, whi e the other comprises the bass or owerregister. It is obvious, however, that the range, may be divided into. any desired number of sections,

each provided with its own operating mechanism.

Figure 1 of the drawm sis a front view'of Y a portion of'amechanica piano-Playenwith this improved modulating 'mechanism at tached to it, the: parts being in their position of test. Fig. 2 is a side view in S intion on the line 2 3 of Fig. 1. Fig. 3 is fragmentary sectional side View also on the line 3 of FigL 1 and shows the position oi the parts when one of the bars is operated. Fig. is afrag- Inentary pian. view showing the operatingbars and some of their ad'acent'narts. F1.

J i g 5 1s a iragmentary side view showing a modi- 116d arrangement of the device. Fig. (i isa side view 1n sect1on,sh0w1 ng a method of operatmg the modulating devices by pneumatic Referring now to the drawings, 11 representsthe front board, 12 the top board, and

I t3 the cover, of a well-known type of piano player, in WhlOll the piano-keys 21 are depressed by the outer ends 28 and 29 of the two series of key fingers or levers 26 and 27, the former or short ones engaging the white keys of the piano, while the latter or long ones engage the black keys. The key-fingers 26 and 27 are pivoted, respectivel on rods 30 and 31, and the inner ends of t e fingers are engaged on their under sides by the heads 37 of the push-rods 36, each of the latterbeing connected to an operating-pneumatic 35. The collapsing of the latter raises the inner end of its connected finger 27, thereby depressing the corresponding piano-key and causing it to sound its note in the ordinary manner, the pneumatic-action being con trolled in the well-known manner by the as.- iage of a perforated note-sheet over a trac rer- Extendin ries of. ke' h ngers and adjacent tothe pneumatic-ro heads 37 are the modulating-bars 51', which, as herein shown, are two in number, one of which is under the key-fingers of the bass or lower register, while the other is under those of the treble or'upper register. As these two bars and their 0 eratin mechanism are similar, only one oft em will be described, it being understood that the action and construction of theother is similar there to. The bar 51 is mounted for up-and-down movement by providing it at each end with a guide rod or wire 55, which extends down- Ward and is guided in. a bearing in the top of the instrument. A nut 56 on the lower end ofthe rod serves as a stop to limit the u ward movement of the bar 51. J ournaled n! the brackets 61, secured to the top 12, is the rock-shaft 60, which has fixed to it the liftingarms 62, which are located to engage the under side ofhthe bar 51.

j The rock-shaft 60 is provided with an arm 63, fixed toit's upper side and pivoted to the connectingl: ar 67. The latter extends to and is pivoted on the u per bell-crank lever .70, mounted on the stu 72, which is carried by the bracket 71 on thetop 12. The outer end of the bell-crank has. ivotcd to it the vertical rod 76, the lower en of which is pivunder the inner ends of the so oted to the lower bell-crank 77, supported in a stud 78, appurtenant to the front 11 of the instrument. The other end of the bell-crank '77 is connected-by means of the lower rod 81,

to one end of-thebell-crank 80, pivoted in thestud 82, also appurtenant to the front 1 1. To the other end of the bell-crank is pivoted the rod 85, having a knob or key 84 on its upper end and held in a vertical position by the bracket86, in which it is free to slide. The bracket 86 is secured to the front 11, and these parts are so located as to bring the knob 84 in a convenient position for the hand of the performer. The knob of the treblekeys is similarly located in a convenient position, and if it is desired to further subdivide the range the knobs may all be arranged in a convenient series.

The consecutive operation of the parts is as follows: When the performer desires to modulate the tone in the bass notes, he depresses the knob 84, thus operating the rockshaft 60 by means of its connections with the knob, thereby lifting the bar 51 by means of the two arms 62, which engage the bar on its under side. Lifting the bar 51 raises the in ner ends 33 of all the key-fingers of the lower register, thereby lowering the outer ends 28 and 29 of the key-fingers and causing them to partially depress'their corresponding pianokeys, as shown in Fig. 3. The extent of this depression is not enough to sound the keys. If, therefore, any one of the keys is depressed to its sounding position (shown by the dotand-dash line 23) by the operation of its pneumatic 35, the blow struck upon the piano-key 21 will be a comparatively light one, owing to the reduced amount of movement necessary to complete the stroke, thus producing a modulation of the tone, the degree of which depends on the extent of depression of the knob 84. If the erforiner wishes to still further modulatetlie tone, he depresses the knob 84 a little more, or if he wishes to increase the sound he allows the knob. to raise a little. In this way the degree of modulation may be varied at will by the simple manipulation of the knob 84. If it is desired to modulate the tone in the upper register or treble, the knob 90'will be depressed instead of the knob 84, or both knobs may be deressed if the whole range is to be.affected.

The extent of these depressions will control the degree of modulation produced, and this. ,degree of modulation may be independently varied in both sections of the piano-register, thus enabling the performer to produce different effects coincidently'upon the respec- "tive sections or ranges of the piano-notes As soon as the knob 84 or 90 is r eased the parts under its control will be returned to their position of rest by the downward pressure ofthe inner ends 33 of thekey-fingers.

In Fig. 5 is shown a modified method of varying the amplitude of movement of the keyfingers by varying the stroke 'of the motor which moves those fingers. In this modification the modulating-bar 4O isapplied to any convenient portion of the 41 or to themovable leaf 42 of operating-rods t e pneumatic i with suitable abutments 44 for cooperating.

with the bars. The bars are pivotally mounted on a shaft or pivots 45, journaled in bearings appurtenant to the frame of the instru ment, the bar being operated by means of an arm 47, provided with a rod 48, practically corresponding with the rod 6? of the other figures. The modulating-bar "40 by its position controls the'extent of downward movement of the operating-rods 41 or the movable leaf ofthe bellows-motor, as the case may be, and byshifting the modulating-bar the effective stroke of the motors is correspondingly varied. In this modification, as in that previously described, the series of operating rods 36 may be subdivided in any desired the different sections independently each by its own operating knob or key.

In the modified construction shown in Fig. 6 pneumatic means are used for operating the modulating devices. The knob 96 is mounted on a stem 97, which passes through the top 1.2 of the instrument. The lower end of the stem 97 is pivoted to the valve 95, which controls the pneumatic primary devices 94 of a well-known type, connected, by means of .the tube 99, to the motor-bellows 98. l The latter is provided with a connecting-rod 92, the ,upper endof which is pivoted on the modulating-bar 91, which ismountcd at each end on a bracket 93'by means of a pivot 88. A check-nut 87 on the connecting-rod 92 limits the upward swing of the modulating-bar 91. A spring 89 is provided which tends to keep the valve closed and to hold the knob 96 in its upper position. In the operation of opening the valve 95 and permittingthe primary devices 94 to operate, and thus cause the.bellows 98 to collapse. This raises the ulating-bar 95 upward, thus raising the ends of the key-fingers 33 and causing them to ano-keys. The modulating-bar 91 may also be made to operate directly upon the operatin -rods 41 in a manner similar to that shown in liig. 5.

' Each an adjusting screw 34 in order to furnish means for independently adjusting the keyfingers to aline them or to cause them to produce the same effect on their respective pianokeys when the universal bar 51 is operated. By'turning the screw the zone of movement the fingerinto conformity with the other fingers of the set.

The various terms herein employed to detheir relative and not theinabsolute sense.

In many. ways which will be obvious to way or'to any desired extent, so as to control,

these parts the knob 96 is depressed, thereby correspondingly depress their associated pikey-fingeris preferably provided with of each key-finger may be altered to bringnote position and direction are employed in those familiar with this art the devices here connectingrod 92, thereby swinging the mod ITO in shown may be further modified in posit-ion,

direction, and degree to suit different types of lnstrum entsor'different conditions of service.

I claim as my invention 1. In a mechanical piano-player, the combination With automatic devices for select-' stroke in advance of the action of the automatic devices.

e 2. In a mechanical pianoplayer the combination With automatic devices for selectively operating the key-fingers, of means for moving a pre the action ofthe automatic devices.

3. In a mechanical piano-player, the combination with automatic devices for selectively operating the key-fingers, of meansfor independently gers a portion of their strokein advance of the action of the automatic devices.

4. In aniechanicalpiano-player; the com bination with a series of key-fingers, of a plurality of bars, each ada. ted to engage a predetermined number .0 the key -fingers to move. them a portion of their stroke, and

meansfor independently operating each bar.

' ;5. In a mechanical p1ano-play'er, the combinatlon with a series of key-fingers, of a plu- 'rality of bars, each adapted toengage a pre determined portion of the key-fingers to move them simultaneously a portion of-their stroke etermined section of the keyfingers a portion of their stroke in advance of moving predetermmed key-.

and means convenient to the hand of the performer for operating the bars independently.

6. In a mechanical piano-player. the combination of means for varying'the'amplitude of movement of the key-fingers to modify their effect on the piano-keys, and means for independently adjusting the zone of movement of the individual key-fingers.

7. In a mechanical-piano-player, the combination, with a series of key-fingers, of a plu rality of bars each mounted in operative relation to a predetermined set or section. of the fingers, and a series of adjusting screws for in dependently adjusting the zone of movement of the individual key-fingers.

8. In a mechanical pianc player, the c'omtion to a predetermined set or section of the.

key-fingers, a series of adjusting-screws for Independently adjusting the zone of movement of the individual'key-fingers, and means for independently operating each bar to vary the amplitude of movement of the keys of the respective sections.

In testimony whereof I have signed my name to this specification in'the presence of two subscribing witnesses.

Witnesses:

E. DoBBIN, GEO. A. ANDREWS.

- JAMES 'OCON-NOR. 

